In the late 19th century, following the end of the Civil War, many southern states passed legislation and even amended their constitutions in order to prevent former slaves and their descendants from voting.

These included poll taxes, literacy tests, and other restrictions on the franchise, many of which remained on the books well into the 20th century before being ruled unconstitutional.

This isn’t news, or hidden somewhere in dusty pages. Attempts to suppress voting are as American as apple pie, with a long, ugly, violent history.

In the post-Reconstruction era, some states produced...